Why Is It Always the Arts That Wear the Cost?

Once again, the arts find themselves in the firing line.

Recent headlines from the Daily Telegraph and the Central Coast Express Advocate have called for scrutiny of spending at The Art House, with phrases such as "bleeding ratepayers more than $1 million a year" thrown around with the sort of enthusiasm usually reserved for political scandals.

Now, let me be clear: public expenditure should absolutely be scrutinised. Every dollar spent by government, councils and publicly funded organisations should be accountable to the community, and the Central Coast Council is not an exception to this.

But why does it always seem to be the arts that attract such outrage?

When was the last time you saw a front-page headline demanding an audit into the cost of maintaining sporting fields, swimming pools, parks, gardens or playgrounds? These are all valuable community assets, and rightly so. Yet they are rarely framed as financial burdens. Instead, they are recognised as investments in community wellbeing.

The arts deserve the same consideration.

This isn't a new phenomenon. We only need to cast our minds back to 2020 and 2021, during the depths of the COVID lockdowns. There were loud calls to reopen stadiums because people needed sport. Fair enough. But I would love to meet the person who got through those long months of isolation by repeatedly watching old football matches or listening to the final moments of a grand final on loop.

What most people actually turned to was entertainment.

They streamed television series and films. They listened to music. They played video games. They read books. They watched online performances. They connected through stories, creativity and shared cultural experiences.

In other words, they turned to the arts.

The arts kept people company when they were isolated. The arts helped people process uncertainty and fear. The arts provided joy, escapism, reflection and connection during one of the most challenging periods in modern history.

Yet here we are again, questioning whether arts venues are worth the investment.

What often gets lost in these conversations is that arts organisations are not simply buildings where performances happen. They are economic drivers. They employ artists, technicians, administrators, marketers, hospitality workers and educators. They attract visitors who spend money in local restaurants, cafes and accommodation. They provide opportunities for young people, volunteers and community groups.

They create places where communities gather.

At Red Tree Theatre, we are completely self-funded. We know what it means to stretch every dollar. We know what it means to constantly justify our existence, seek sponsorship, apply for grants and convince people that creativity has value.

We stand alongside every arts organisation that faces ongoing scrutiny while simultaneously being expected to deliver extraordinary outcomes with limited resources.

What concerns me is the assumption that arts funding is somehow indulgent or optional, as though culture is a luxury rather than an essential component of a thriving society.

Across Europe, regions comparable in size to the Central Coast support dozens of performing arts venues. Some communities have twenty or thirty active theatres, supported because governments and citizens understand that culture contributes to the quality of life, social cohesion, education and economic activity.

Meanwhile, in Australia, we continue to debate whether having a handful of arts venues is worth the cost.

Perhaps it is time we reframed the conversation.

Rates are not simply collected to fill potholes and empty bins. They fund the services, facilities and experiences that make a community worth living in. Libraries, pools, sporting facilities, parks, gardens and arts venues all contribute to the fabric of community life.

The question should not be whether the arts cost money.

The question should be what sort of community we want to be.

A community that values creativity, storytelling and culture understands that the arts are not a drain on society. They are one of the things that make society worth living in.

And if you've never experienced that for yourself, perhaps instead of reading the next headline about the cost of the arts, buy a ticket and discover the extraordinary talent we have right here on the Central Coast.

By Daniel Craig, Artistic Director, Red Tree Theatre